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Making Space for Indigenous Feminism
The majority of scholarly and activist opinion by and about Aboriginal women claims that feminism is irrelevant for them. Yet, there is also an articulate, theoretically informed and activist constituency that identifies as feminist. By and about Aboriginal feminists, this book provides a powerful and original intellectual and political contribution demonstrating that feminism has much to offer Aboriginal women in their struggles against oppression. The contributors are from Canada, the USA, Sami (Samiland) and Aotearoa/New Zealand. The chapters include theoretical contributions, stories of political activism and deeply personal accounts of developing political consciousness.
254 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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1979 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 26, 2022
This was an excellent academic anthology of essays tackling the concept of Indigenous feminism and its importance in the Canadian (and sometimes global) context for feminist, anti-colonial/decolonial, anti-oppression discourse.
There's a range of essays, focusing on the Canadian context from authors with a variety of lived Indigenous experiences, as well as select essays from Australian Aboriginal, Finnish Sami, and Mexican Indigenous authors.
Due to the nature of an essay anthology, there was a lot of overlap of ideas, statistics and case studies, and references. Each author did bring their unique lens and experiences to the discussion, but the reader will find some of it repetitive. In some ways I found this worked well, as I read these essays slowly with at least a week (or more) apart. The repetition also worked to reinforce those ideas, statistics, and language, which I think will serve me well in understanding and expressing the book's thesis.
I would recommend this text to those who have already started their learning journey with feminism and contemporary Indigenous discourse (particularly as it relates to feminism and Indigenous women and girls' experiences) as this is not a beginner text at all. The language is appropriately academic and you will need to deeply engage with the text (I recommend annotating as you go).
Overall, despite the months it took me to work through this collection, it was absolutely worth it and I gained a lot of knowledge from it and respect for the many Indigenous women who have been working in this space for decades.
There's a range of essays, focusing on the Canadian context from authors with a variety of lived Indigenous experiences, as well as select essays from Australian Aboriginal, Finnish Sami, and Mexican Indigenous authors.
Due to the nature of an essay anthology, there was a lot of overlap of ideas, statistics and case studies, and references. Each author did bring their unique lens and experiences to the discussion, but the reader will find some of it repetitive. In some ways I found this worked well, as I read these essays slowly with at least a week (or more) apart. The repetition also worked to reinforce those ideas, statistics, and language, which I think will serve me well in understanding and expressing the book's thesis.
I would recommend this text to those who have already started their learning journey with feminism and contemporary Indigenous discourse (particularly as it relates to feminism and Indigenous women and girls' experiences) as this is not a beginner text at all. The language is appropriately academic and you will need to deeply engage with the text (I recommend annotating as you go).
Overall, despite the months it took me to work through this collection, it was absolutely worth it and I gained a lot of knowledge from it and respect for the many Indigenous women who have been working in this space for decades.
December 3, 2017
Chapter 1 – Joyce Green, “Taking Account of Aboriginal Feminism” pp.20-32
p.20 – Aboriginal feminists raise issues of colonialism, racism and sexism, and the unpleasant synergy between these three violations of human rights.
Feminism is an ideology on a political analysis that takes women’s experiences seriously, and it is played out politically by women’s groups that generally have characteristic processes of organization and of action.
p.21 – The characteristic of feminism – be it socialist, maternal, radical, liberal, Aboriginal, ecofeminist – is that it takes gender seriously as a social organizing process and, within the context of patriarchal societies, seeks to identify the ways in which women are subordinated to men and how women can be emancipated from this subordination.
p.21-22 – Some First Nations historically placed a high value on women’s roles in society; indeed, women in most Aboriginal cultures historically enjoyed far more respect, power and autonomy than did their European settler counterparts. Yet contemporary Aboriginal women are subjected to patriarchal and colonial oppression within settler society and, in some contexts, in Aboriginal communities. Some Aboriginal cultures and communities are patriarchal, either in cultural origin or because of incorporation of colonizer patriarchy.
p.22 – Feminists in all patriarchal societies are denigrated, for they question the common understanding of what it means to be a good woman (and a good man), and they challenge the social, political, economic, and cultural practices that validate, perpetuate and enforce these roles.
Aboriginal anti-colonial political struggle confronts the dominant myths and political, social and economic practices that dignify, deny or perpetuate colonialism – the enforced appropriation of Aboriginal nations’ land and resources and the denial of the conditions for self-determination.
Colonialism is closely tied to racism and sexism.
p.23 – Aboriginal feminism brings together the two critiques, feminism and anti-colonialism, to show how Aboriginal peoples, and in particular Aboriginal women, are affected by colonialism and by patriarchy. It takes account of how both racism and sexism fuse when brought to bear on Aboriginal women.
Feminism is also about building bridges to other movements working for social justice.
p.24 – Aboriginal women stigmatized as feminist have endured political and social ostracization and threats of violence and of other punitive tactics, like being denied access to programs, funding and so on.
p.25 – Aboriginal feminism seeks an Aboriginal liberation that includes women, and not just the conforming woman, but also the marginal and excluded, and especially the women who has been excluded from her community by virtue of colonial legislation and socio-historical forces. Thus, Aboriginal feminism is a theoretical engagement with history and politics, as well as a practical engagement with contemporary social, economic, cultural and political issues.
p.27 – Too many Aboriginal women have been silenced or had their social and political roles minimized by invocations of appropriate tradition relative to women’s voices and choices.
p.29 – Feminist organizing has served as a political expression of commitment to community and has provided political education and experience for Aboriginal women.
p.30 – The power of feminist analysis, solidarity and organizing allow women to both consider political and social conditions differently than malestream politicians do and to articulate different kinds of solutions.
p.20 – Aboriginal feminists raise issues of colonialism, racism and sexism, and the unpleasant synergy between these three violations of human rights.
Feminism is an ideology on a political analysis that takes women’s experiences seriously, and it is played out politically by women’s groups that generally have characteristic processes of organization and of action.
p.21 – The characteristic of feminism – be it socialist, maternal, radical, liberal, Aboriginal, ecofeminist – is that it takes gender seriously as a social organizing process and, within the context of patriarchal societies, seeks to identify the ways in which women are subordinated to men and how women can be emancipated from this subordination.
p.21-22 – Some First Nations historically placed a high value on women’s roles in society; indeed, women in most Aboriginal cultures historically enjoyed far more respect, power and autonomy than did their European settler counterparts. Yet contemporary Aboriginal women are subjected to patriarchal and colonial oppression within settler society and, in some contexts, in Aboriginal communities. Some Aboriginal cultures and communities are patriarchal, either in cultural origin or because of incorporation of colonizer patriarchy.
p.22 – Feminists in all patriarchal societies are denigrated, for they question the common understanding of what it means to be a good woman (and a good man), and they challenge the social, political, economic, and cultural practices that validate, perpetuate and enforce these roles.
Aboriginal anti-colonial political struggle confronts the dominant myths and political, social and economic practices that dignify, deny or perpetuate colonialism – the enforced appropriation of Aboriginal nations’ land and resources and the denial of the conditions for self-determination.
Colonialism is closely tied to racism and sexism.
p.23 – Aboriginal feminism brings together the two critiques, feminism and anti-colonialism, to show how Aboriginal peoples, and in particular Aboriginal women, are affected by colonialism and by patriarchy. It takes account of how both racism and sexism fuse when brought to bear on Aboriginal women.
Feminism is also about building bridges to other movements working for social justice.
p.24 – Aboriginal women stigmatized as feminist have endured political and social ostracization and threats of violence and of other punitive tactics, like being denied access to programs, funding and so on.
p.25 – Aboriginal feminism seeks an Aboriginal liberation that includes women, and not just the conforming woman, but also the marginal and excluded, and especially the women who has been excluded from her community by virtue of colonial legislation and socio-historical forces. Thus, Aboriginal feminism is a theoretical engagement with history and politics, as well as a practical engagement with contemporary social, economic, cultural and political issues.
p.27 – Too many Aboriginal women have been silenced or had their social and political roles minimized by invocations of appropriate tradition relative to women’s voices and choices.
p.29 – Feminist organizing has served as a political expression of commitment to community and has provided political education and experience for Aboriginal women.
p.30 – The power of feminist analysis, solidarity and organizing allow women to both consider political and social conditions differently than malestream politicians do and to articulate different kinds of solutions.
December 12, 2019
This was really informative and well put together.
August 3, 2024
Although some essays were a bit repetitive, the book allowed me to better understand the challenges indigenous women face.
The essays I liked the most were those that described women's lives.
The essays I liked the most were those that described women's lives.
February 9, 2025
This book is a vital and impactful read. As someone deeply interested in feminist topics, I find it especially significant that, despite being in 2025, the world continues to treat half of its population as weaker and as existing merely for the male gaze.
The book is structured in essay format. Due to this, I would recommend approaching the book with patience and an open mind, allowing time to absorb the complex themes the authors have so carefully unpacked.
In this book, there are four sections. Section 1 covers home, identity and legacies. Section 2 is on institutions, representation and resistance. Section 3 is on land, relationally and love and section 4 is on decoloniality, movement and futurities.
Overall, this book is a powerful call for transformation. It challenges readers to critically examine their own biases, assumptions, and roles within the broader social, political, and cultural landscape. This book provides valuable insight into the complex intersections of feminism, colonialism, and Indigenous knowledge systems, offering a framework that is essential for those committed to building a more equitable and inclusive world.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in feminist theory, decolonial thought, or Indigenous rights. It is a timely and enlightening read that will leave a lasting impression and undoubtedly expand the reader’s understanding of the world.
Thank you to Columbia University Press for sending me a review copy.
The book is structured in essay format. Due to this, I would recommend approaching the book with patience and an open mind, allowing time to absorb the complex themes the authors have so carefully unpacked.
In this book, there are four sections. Section 1 covers home, identity and legacies. Section 2 is on institutions, representation and resistance. Section 3 is on land, relationally and love and section 4 is on decoloniality, movement and futurities.
Overall, this book is a powerful call for transformation. It challenges readers to critically examine their own biases, assumptions, and roles within the broader social, political, and cultural landscape. This book provides valuable insight into the complex intersections of feminism, colonialism, and Indigenous knowledge systems, offering a framework that is essential for those committed to building a more equitable and inclusive world.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in feminist theory, decolonial thought, or Indigenous rights. It is a timely and enlightening read that will leave a lasting impression and undoubtedly expand the reader’s understanding of the world.
Thank you to Columbia University Press for sending me a review copy.
October 2, 2024
A collection of essays written by Canadian, First Nations women and by Indigenous women from many parts of the world. Many of the essays describe in detail the ongoing struggles that so many First Nations women continue to face today such as the constant fight against gender-based violence inherent in a colonial society but also within their own communities of color. All too often, it is the case that women of color who stand up against sexualized violence are labeled as race traitors; forcing First Nations women to fight this issue on two fronts while receiving little help or support from resources steeped in colonial practices.
July 3, 2024
This is a very signifcant book for any scholar. My students love and appreciate this book for various reasons. It highlights Indigenous perspectives, it vocalizes the many dimensions that have been unrecognized within western feminism and it validates the unseen. Indigenous students and all students from various ethnicities are grateful for this edition within their learning.
January 1, 2021
This collection of essays was well put together and presented a number of diverse topics surrounding Indigenous feminism from contributors from around the world. There are moments where it feels repetitive or perhaps better described as overlap, but this is hard to avoid given that each essay discusses such great points and really focuses in on some important and unique details. This is a must read for anyone with an interest in feminist and/or Indigenous studies as it lends a perspective we rarely see on a variety of popular topics and introduces some new ones too!
August 12, 2025
Overall a super interesting read! Some chapters that really stood out to me are Why am I a Feminist?, Settler Colonialsims in Canada: Making “Indian” Women Disappear, Gender Reveals that Matter, and Mana Wahine and Mothering at the Lo’i: A Twi-Spirit/Queer Analysis.
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February 28, 2020305.488 M2357 2017
January 10, 2025
I think everyone should read this as it tragically illustrates the struggles that Indigenous people face on a daily basis and how Indigenous Feminism can truly evoke change.
July 13, 2020
I love the ideas and stories in this book. It's sort of an anthology with a collection of different essays written by different indigenous women. There were several different indigenous perspectives in this collection - all with different styles of writing. So some of the chapters - especially near the beginning - were a bit too academic, and I struggled to understand what the authors were saying at times. I mean, I'm a lawyer and found some of the words and sentence structures complicated and confusing! But most of the essays and stories were very powerful and poignant, and the collection seemed to get less formal as it went on (which was a plus).
I probably would have structured the book differently - perhaps interspersing the poems and pictures throughout the book instead of having them at the end.
Content-wise, there's a lot of overlap in the essays, but also some disagreement and different viewpoints on topics. Many of the stories are sad, but there's also some hope here. Things today are very far from perfect, but at least some people are paying attention now? I hope I can raise my children in a world that doesn't hate them.
I probably would have structured the book differently - perhaps interspersing the poems and pictures throughout the book instead of having them at the end.
Content-wise, there's a lot of overlap in the essays, but also some disagreement and different viewpoints on topics. Many of the stories are sad, but there's also some hope here. Things today are very far from perfect, but at least some people are paying attention now? I hope I can raise my children in a world that doesn't hate them.
September 5, 2017
In attempting to make "space for Indigenous feminism," the book implicitly opens up the question of what indigenous feminism is. Like feminism in general, the concept is muddled in politics, ideologies, and misperceptions. Complicating this logistical quagmire is the fact that this book's chapters range from discussions of Indigenous women's experiences in Canada and the US to Australia and New Zealand and other places. Perhaps surprisingly, then, within this fragmented narrative, a similarity and a sense of common definition begins to emerge, despite the fact that many of these authors even disagree with one another on key points. Second and third waves collide. The ultimate strength of the collection is its various perspectives through which common identities shine through. Chapters are collected in the form of traditional essays, but there are also poems, autiobiography, and interviews, all pointing towards answering the question of what it means to be aboriginal and female, and how that can uniquely position someone for embracing and carving out this type of feminist identity, however doubly marginalised that identity may be.
December 5, 2015
This is a great anthology with authors writing on diverse topics related to Indigenous feminism. Emma LaRocque's essay "Métis and Feminist: Ethical Reflections on Feminism, Human Rights and Decolonization" is particularly enlightening. I also appreciated the space for creative pieces and interviews. However, I find that the creative pieces of writing or shall I say pieces that don't conform to academic norms are at the end of anthologies. I wonder how the anthology would read if they were interspersed or put between academic essays.
March 19, 2008
A must have for scholars of Native American women! Some of the essay topics overlap but that's okay. Engages with question of what is Native feminism and Native feminist agendas.
December 1, 2010
Id recommend it if youre into this kind of thing!
July 23, 2016
The interview with Sharon McIvor on NWAC funding is especially worth reading. Also: http://www.thecourt.ca/wp-content/upl...
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews